Loved You Once

by Claudia Burgoa

  “Do you ever look like us commoners?” I ask.

  She’s wearing athletic clothes, but she looks stylish.

  “If I didn’t like you, I’d hate you,” I say, as we head toward the stairs.

  “I saw Vance leave the suite,” she says, ignoring my question and my remark. “He mentioned that he’s going back to work. Does that mean he’s out of the race?”

  “Again, this isn’t a reality show,” I explain, as we step out of the elevator. “We all have to stay. If anyone leaves, the town is fucked.”

  “Wouldn’t it be more fun if the one who stays last is the one who gets to keep it all?”

  “I think all of them would’ve left on Wednesday,” I respond. “What’s the deal with the factory?”

  She shrugs, and we make our way toward the town. “I stayed behind to supervise Nick and the other employees. From what I overheard, they’re in trouble, but I don’t have all the information, yet. Thankfully, Hayes and Henry had a lot more to talk about last night, so he gave me the night off, or I’d be going through all the documents he brought from the factory.”

  We continue jogging through the town, go by the house, and then Sophia stops by the coffee place while I go to My Cookie Jar to buy pastries.

  “Where are the coffees?” I ask, as we meet outside the shop.

  “They’re bringing them in twenty minutes,” she answers. “I even got their phone number so I can have them deliver to the hotel every morning until we leave for New York.”

  “You should strike a deal like that with the bakery,” I suggest.

  When we make it back to the hotel, Henry is already in the lobby, pacing back and forth, while talking out loud.

  “Yes, Mr. Parrish. I understand that according to the stipulations you can’t do anything until we are all moved into the house, but this is an emergency,” he says out loud. “Then, you should be the one solving the major issues that my father’s companies have, at least until we take over.”

  He stops, pinches the bridge over his nose and exhales loudly. I look past him and spot Hayes next to Nick. He’s wearing a pair of black slacks and a button-down shirt. He smiles at me when he notices my presence.

  “Morning,” he greets me as he walks to where I stand.

  Henry’s voice booms through the lobby when he says, “You don’t understand the payroll process. It’s pretty simple, the workers do their job, and you pay them as stipulated in their contract.”

  I open my eyes wide, and Hayes shakes his head.

  “How bad is it?” I ask.

  “Bad,” he answers. “We could lose it.”

  How big of a mess did William leave? He left money, didn’t he? The lawyer mentioned several accounts all with billions of dollars in each one.

  Henry hangs up and shakes his head. “We’re on our own until the seven of us are officially moved into the house.”

  “So, we don’t have to take care of the factory until then?” Hayes asks.

  “Mr. Parish just informed me that they’re the executors of the will. In no way they are responsible for any of the assets, companies, or legal disputes that my father might’ve left. Those are transferred to his next of kin—us.”

  “Are we going to wait until everyone moves in?” I ask, followed by, “Is that even an option?”

  “If we don’t do something, no one is going to save the factory, fix this hotel, or manage Aldridge Enterprises,” he answers.

  Hayes sighs loudly. “What’s the plan?”

  “We’re going to have to use our own money to save the factory—if it can be saved,” Henry answers. “Call everyone. We have a lot of decisions to make.”

  This would be a great time to let me use my trust fund. I should ask Pierce to look into it. Maybe with the approval of the Aldridge brothers, I can access it and help them save the factory.

  Henry looks at Sophia and says, “We need to go into the conference room. I need a human approach because, if it’s me, I’d sell that place and wash my hands of it.”

  “Let me gather my things and I’ll meet you there,” Sophia says, pulling her phone out of her sports bra and typing furiously, before marching toward the elevator. Seconds later, I receive a text.

  Sophia: Emergency meeting. Meet us at the conference room if you’re still here at ten. If not, I’ll email you a link to connect via videoconference.

  “Tell them it’s not optional,” Henry yells.

  Sophia: This is a mandatory meeting.

  Henry puts away his phone and glances at us. “I’ll meet you both at ten. Don’t be late.”

  “Or else,” Hayes says mockingly.

  Henry flips him the finger but doesn’t say anything.

  Hayes finally moves his attention toward me and asks, “Do you want to get some breakfast?”

  I nod because Sophia took away our pastries, and the coffee hasn’t arrived.

  On our way to the diner, I ask, “Can you tell me more about what’s happening in the factory? If it’s okay to tell me,” I add quickly.

  “It’s fine. The factory isn’t in great shape,” he answers promptly. “None of us has experience with it. In all honesty, it’d be best if we sell it to some chain that can just absorb it. The security of the employees wouldn’t be compromised, since we’d be selling it to someone who needs a factory to produce stuff. However, the will doesn’t allow us to do anything but run it. As Henry just pointed out, we can’t count on any funds until we’re settled into this town.”

  “It’s like The Lodge,” I conclude. “That place needs more than some TLC. How about Aldridge Enterprises?”

  “Pierce hired an auditor to go through the company to make sure there are no discrepancies. If William messed up with any of the accounts, we could lose everything—including our own money.”

  “If we walk away?”

  “We’re screwing even more people than we thought in the beginning, which is another big problem since Mills said, ‘I don’t need the aggravation, I’m out.’”

  “No,” I gasp.

  He runs both hands through his hair and says, “We’ll deal with him later. For now, we focus on what needs our immediate attention.”

  “Can I help you with anything?”

  “Henry is going to brainstorm a few ideas with Sophia,” he explains, then adds, “If we have to invest, we might not be able to afford the practice. I can’t pull money out of my trust fund until June.”

  “Your birthday?” I ask.

  He nods in confirmation.

  I reach over and grab his hand, squeezing it. “Have faith, okay. Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

  He entwines our hands, and his shoulders relax. It’s a simple gesture, but it makes my blood run hot and infuses it with a wild, reckless surge. It’s not the hand holding; it’s the realization that I soothe him.

  “Have dinner with me tonight,” he says.

  “What?” I’m surprised by his question. “We’re just about to have breakfast.”

  “This is just a meal. I want to have dinner with you. A date.”

  I glance at him, my eyes widening. “A date?” My voice comes out low and raspy.

  “Dinner, tonight. Just the two of us.” He stares at his shoes and blows out a breath. “I’m trying to slow down. Just give me a chance, Stardust.”

  He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it. “One date.”

  My body shivers from the contact of his mouth against my skin. It’s a simple request, a simple gesture. The words I’m trying to slow down mean a lot to me. He understands that it’s not that simple for me to catch up with him. Hayes swears he still loves me. I’m not sure if I want to open the door that he closed so many years ago, but I’m willing to give it a try.

  I clear my throat. “Okay. I’d love to go out with you on a date,” I say, before we enter the diner.

  Unfortunately, our breakfast isn’t uneventful. The hostess sits us in the middle of the diner. The waitress takes our order, and a few minutes later, th
e diner is buzzing with customers. We’re surrounded by patrons who are staring at us. We don’t speak much. I’m afraid that anything we say would be recorded. Anna Tattle arrives when we’re halfway done with our food. A woman stands next to her. She waves at us and marches with determination to where we sit.

  “Doctor, what a surprise,” she says, then glances at me, giving me a fake smile. “I want you to meet my daughter, Nina.”

  Nina holds out a hand. “Nina Tattle, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Hayes. I heard you’re buying the medical practice. I currently work at the factory in Happy Springs, but if you need me, I can be your receptionist.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he answers properly.

  Seeing them holding hands makes my skin crawl, and I’m not the jealous kind. While we dated, I could care less when women flirted with him. He never responded to them. For some reason, I’m upset about Nina and her friendly handshake. I shouldn’t care about this. He’s not mine, but my blood is boiling.

  “We could meet for lunch later today, if you’d like,” she offers. “I can show you the town and tell you more about myself.”

  “Nina, meet Blaire,” he says, claiming his hand back. “She’s going to be my partner, and she’ll be in charge of the hiring process.”

  “Well, I can still show you the town,” she presses, eager to show him everything she can. I’m sure that includes her, naked.

  “Maybe another time,” he insists. “This weekend we’re all pretty busy.”

  “Of course,” she says blushing slightly and pulling out her cellphone. “If you want, I can program your phone number, so I can check with you.”

  He gives her a phone number—which isn’t his own and waves at her.

  I lean over and whisper in his ear, “She really wants to show you the town. Are you going to let her?”

  “I’d rather discover it with you,” he answers, kissing my temple. “Are you done?”

  “Eating or teasing you?”

  “Both, babe. I want to go back to The Lodge.”

  “Yes, please get me out of here. I feel like I’m part of a reality show, and everyone is waiting for me to do something embarrassing,” I pause then whisper, “which we both know I might do.”

  It’s almost eight when we step outside the diner. My phone rings, and it’s Tori.

  “Hi,” I greet her, as I answer the phone.

  “At what time are you arriving?” she asks. “I can pick you up at the airport.”

  “Sorry, I forgot to text you last night. I won’t be going home until next week,” I inform her.

  “Hmm,” she says.

  “What’s happening?”

  “Do you know the Aldridge family?”

  “Why?”

  “We received six donations between Wednesday and today from six different members,” she explains. “I only know of Hayes Aldridge. He’s a doctor.”

  “You know him?” I ask a little concerned. “How well?”

  “My mother set me up on a date with him. But I never met him. He stood me up. Maybe he’s gay or he wasn’t interested in me,” she complains, and I laugh.

  Hayes looks at me and frowns. I give him an innocent smile.

  “He’s not gay,” I clarify, then agree, “You are a catch. He’s just a very strange man.”

  “So you do know him,” she confirms. “Who are the other five Aldridges who sent you money?”

  I sigh. “It’s all too complicated to explain over the phone. I gather that we have money in the account.”

  “Yes, that’s why I called you. We have plenty, and we can start planning. I just need to know when you’ll be back to start working.”

  “Things aren’t going as I thought,” I simplify the current event to just a few words. “Why don’t you send me the applications we’ve received and our updated wish list. I’ll start working on it, and when I have time, we can connect through FaceTime.”

  “Do you think you can ask Hayes to call me? I think we could make beautiful babies,” she suggests.

  “Sorry, Tori, I don’t think I can persuade him to go out with you,” I say, ending the call.

  “Who was that?” he asks, as we step into The Lodge and march toward the elevator.

  “Victoria, my assistant—and one of your blind dates,” I tease him. “You’ve been busy.”

  His face turns red, and he scrunches his nose. “I never slept with the women Mom set me up with.”

  “Hey, I’m just kidding,” I clarify. “You actually stood her up, but is this a sore subject?”

  The doors of the elevator open, we step outside, and he lightly grabs my elbow, stopping me. Once I turn, he holds me gently by the shoulders. Our gazes connect, and his eyes have this light to them, a mix of concern and hope.

  “If you want to know what I’ve been up to for the past twelve years, please ask me. I won’t hide anything, and I won’t lie to you,” he states. “There’s really not much to tell. I haven’t had any serious relationships since you. I’m ready to fight for you, for your heart. Don’t count me out just because of the string of dates I’ve had in the past couple of years—I already told you about them.”

  He kisses my nose, turns away and enters his room without another word. I’m left standing in the hallway confused about his behavior. It’s so different from the old Hayes. Usually, he’d try to kiss me, to convince me that things with Tori and all those women don’t matter. He’d have said something about Nina and her eagerness to catch the first Aldridge.

  Is he changing his approach, or is there something that I’m missing?

  I feel as if an imaginary ball has been given to me, and it’s up to me what I want to do with it: pass it or stop the game.

  I yawn, maybe I should take a nap before the next meeting. But as I try to lay on the bed, I only think of Hayes. It’d be too easy to stop the game, but that’s not me. You can’t miss the love of a lifetime. Yes, he hurt me, but he hurt himself even more. The kid I dated wasn’t ready for a long-lasting relationship, and neither was I. Maybe it’s time to take a leap of faith and believe in us again.

  Twenty-Five

  Blaire

  At ten, Sophia, Henry, Hayes, and I are in the conference room. The rest are somewhere in the world connected through videoconference. Henry starts immediately by saying, “William neglected the factory for years.”

  “Does that mean we’re closing it?” Vance asks.

  “No, we think we found a way to make it work and bring it back to its former glory,” Henry announces.

  “What part of ‘I’m out’ didn’t you guys understand?” Mills complains. “I can’t jeopardize my kid’s future. The factory is heading toward bankruptcy.”

  “It can be saved.” Sophia is the one who jumps in. “It’s all about rebranding, marketing the product correctly, and dedicating some of our time to the company. Chocolate sells itself, but with a campaign and a few additions, we can make the factory a profitable business. We’re selling sweets.”

  She gives us a conspiratorial look. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret, most people love sugar. We just have to make it special, and everyone will be buying from us in no time.”

  “We all have to invest today,” Henry continues. “I already transferred enough money to cover this week’s payroll, but that’s not enough.”

  “If I could give you money from the trust, I would,” I add.

  “Pierce, can you please tell Blaire what you found out,” Henry directs our attention to him.

  “I’m the executor of Carter’s trust. In other words, I’m supposed to make sure that the trust is used the way he requested. I can adjust the amount you receive or withdraw, depending on each case. This emergency merits the necessity of taking a large amount out of the account. That said, we’re about to ask each one of you to invest five hundred million dollars into the factory.”

  “I’d only agree if you give me the same amount to use at my discretion. That means, no questions asked nor restrictions adde
d,” I say with determination.

  “Deal. And that’s our first yes,” Pierce says, without even asking me what I plan on doing with the money.

  “Just so you know, we’re not only investing money but time,” Sophia intercedes. “Before you tell me that your career has nothing to do with the factory, I’ll assign each of you something that you can do, so no worries.”

  “Send me the information on where to wire you the money,” Hayes agrees.

  “That’s two, and I am obviously in the middle of the storm, so we have 1.5 billion so far,” Henry states. “Beacon, Mills, and Vance. We don’t have many options and if what you said about not having touched the ten billion dollars trust Dad left us is true, then you have the capital to invest. I guarantee that we will recover the money, or I’ll pay you back from my own pocket.”

  Mills grunts but says, “I’m in then. It’ll be sweet to see you fail and not lose a cent.”

  “This fucking issue is taking over my life,” Beacon complains. “It’s not the money. I can give you that without sweating. The question is how far is this going to go?”

  “The auditors are going through Aldridge Enterprises already, and, so far, they haven’t found any discrepancies,” Pierce explains. “From what Dad’s assistant told me earlier today, that’s the only thing he paid attention to in the past couple of years.”

  “What’s going to happen to The Lodge?” Hayes asks. “Are you absorbing it Henry?”

  “I can’t,” he answers at the same time Pierce grunts, “Fucking William thought about that too, and he forbid it.”

  “That’s yet another place where we might have to inject some money in,” Henry adds. “But not as much as we have to invest in the factory, and there’s no clause where it says that I can’t use resources from Merkel Hotels & Spas.”

  “Woohoo, one point for us,” I quip. “Are we opening The Lodge’s restaurants?”

  He closed them earlier today, claiming that they’re not up to code. The food I’ve eaten there so far has been fine, but he’s the expert.